Outdwelling slit valves and assemblies for medical liquid flow through a cannula and related methods

Abstract

Novel outdwelling nipple-shaped slit valves and outdwelling slit valve assemblies for influent and effluent fluid flow into and from a medical patient are disclosed, as well as related methods.

1 . An outdwelling nipple-shaped one-piece proximal slit valve for use with a medical patient comprising: 
 a hollow proximal transverse slit valve flange;    a hollow nipple-shaped portion comprising: 
 an intermediate section connected to and distal of the flange and comprising a wall defining a hollow interior;  
 a tip distal of the intermediate section;  
 at least one normally closed slit located at least in part in the wall of the intermediate portion which slit selectively opens to accommodate fluid flow through the slit responsive to a predetermined pressure differential.  
   
   
   
       2 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  further comprising a retention shoulder disposed between the flange and the intermediate portion.  
   
   
       3 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the tip is slit-free.  
   
   
       4 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the tip contains a portion of at least one slit.  
   
   
       5 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the intermediate portion comprises at least one flat in which the at least part of one slit is located.  
   
   
       6 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the tip comprises at least one flat in which at least part of one slit is located.  
   
   
       7 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one slit is selected from the group consisting of two, three and four slits.  
   
   
       8 . A slit valve according to  claim 7  wherein at least some of the two, three and four slits, respectively, are disposed at least in part in flats disposed in the intermediate portion wall.  
   
   
       9 . A slit valve according to  claim 7  wherein each of the slits comprise opposed normally closed flexible lips which selectively separate under the differential pressure to accommodate influent and effluent fluid flow.  
   
   
       10 . A slit valve according to  claim 7  wherein some of the slits comprise normally closed flexible lips which selectively separate to accommodate influent flow only and other slits comprise normally closed flexible lips which selectively separate to accommodate effluent flow only.  
   
   
       11 . A slit valve according to  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of at least one slit is disposed in the tip.  
   
   
       12 . A slit valve according to  claim 11  wherein the at least one tip slit comprises an extension of a slit partially disposed in the wall.  
   
   
       13 . A slit valve according to  claim 11  wherein the at least one tip slit is unconnected to any other slit.  
   
   
       14 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the tip is selected from the group consisting of a pointed configuration, a duck bill configuration and a blunt configuration.  
   
   
       15 . A slit valve according to  claim 1  wherein the wall of the intermediate portion is selected from the group consisting of a distally converging configuration and a non-converging configuration.  
   
   
       16 . An outdwelling tapered one-piece nipple shaped proximal slit valve for use with a medical patient comprising: 
 a hollow proximal transverse slit valve flange;    a distal tip disposed distal of the flange;    a converging diagonally-disposed intermediate portion, interposed between the flange and the tip, comprising a distally converging diagonally-directed wall defining a hollow interior;    at least one diagonally-disposed normally closed slit located at least in part in the diagonally-directed wall which comprises normally closed lips which selectively separate responsive to a pre-set pressure difference to permit fluid flow.    
   
   
       17 . An outdwelling proximal slit valve assembly for use with a medical patient comprising: 
 an outdwelling hollow housing comprising a proximal housing component interconnecting with a distal housing component;    an outdwelling nipple-shaped slit valve comprising a proximal slit valve end held within the hollow of the housing at the interconnect between the proximal and distal housing components;    the nipple-shaped slit valve comprising a hollow male element comprising a wall defining a hollow interior, the male element extending in a distal direction into the hollow of the distal housing component and ending in a distal tip also dispose in the hollow of the distal housing component;    at least one normally closed slit located at least in part in the wall which slit comprise lips which selectively open to accommodate fluid flow through the slit responsive to a predetermined pressure differential.    
   
   
       18 . An assembly according to  claim 17  wherein the outdwelling nipple-shaped slit valve is of one piece construction.  
   
   
       19 . As assembly according to  claim 17  wherein the slit valve lips when flexed to open the slip engage the adjacent distal housing component to limit the rate of fluid flow therethrough.  
   
   
       20 . A method of providing to a medical patient an outdwelling slit valve for controlled fluid infusion and fluid aspiration, comprising the acts of: 
 providing a nipple-shaped slit valve comprising at least one normally closed slit which opens at a specific pressure differential to accommodate fluid flow;    placing the nipple-shaped slit valve in a hollow housing;    placing the slit valve-containing housing in flow accommodating relation with a hollow cannula at a site proximal of the medical patient;    placing a distal end of the cannula in a body cavity of the medical patient to accommodate fluid displacement, while retaining the slit valve and housing proximal of the patient.